Press Review - April 26, 2018

04.26.2018 By Oana Gavrila

Netanyahu Salutes Debate On Romanian Embassy Relocation, Says Romanian PM

Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Wednesday met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an official visit to Israel and she said Netanyahu saluted the debate on the relocation of the Romanian Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Romania ruling party leader and Lower Chamber speaker Liviu Dragnea on Thursday evening announced the country planned to relocate its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, yet President Klaus Iohannis said he was neither informed nor consulted concerning the relocation decision and stressed the arrangement is not based on “solid and thorough evaluations”.

“Such a decision must be taken only after the consulting and securing approval from all institutions which have attributions on foreign policy and national security, and the final decision belongs to the President, according to the Constitution,” the head of state said in a Friday press release.

President To Meet Central Bank Governor, Prime Minister

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday will meet at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace with National Bank of Romania Governor Mugur Isarescu and BNR First Deputy Governor Florin Georgescu.

Iohannis is also due to meet Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Friday.

Members of the Cabinet, most notably the finance minister and the labor minister, criticized the president's approach, deeming it unwanted interference.

The head of state had said on Monday that he would try to mediate between the Government and the National Bank of Romania (BNR), and that he would call them to the Cotroceni Presidential Palace in the upcoming days.

"I decided to try a mediation between the Government and BNR, and in the coming days I will invite both sides to Cotroceni," the head of state said.

The president added that although the ruling coalition’s fiscal policies led to increased interest rates, the issue could be solved “through a responsible approach and sustainable governmental policies”.

Three-Month ROBOR Tripled Since 2017

The three-month ROBOR index, used to calculate interests on loans in lei with variable interest, tripled for the second quarter of 2018 to an average of 2.06%, from 0.83% in the same period last year.

On Wednesday the three-month ROBOR index grew to 2.42%, from  2.28% on Tuesday.

The spike in the money market interest rate is attributed to excess demand for liquidity.

Tourists To Be Fined for Littering Beaches, Says Constanta Mayor

Tourists littering the beaches in Mamaia and Constanta will be fined, said Constanta mayor Decebal Fagadau.

He said reports to the local police may be filed using WhatsApp.

Fagadau said authorities will implement an awareness campaign asking people to clean up after themselves at the beach, then will move on to fines for offenders.